CTNF 19/159,347 CTNF 89112 DETAILED ACTION This is a first office action in response to application 19/159,347 filed 08/25/2025, in which claims 1-7 are presented for examination. A preliminary amendment was filed concurrently therewith providing amendments to claims 6 and 7 and adds new claim 8 is hereby acknowledged. Currently claims 1-8 are pending. Notice of Pre-AIA or AIA Status 07-03-aia AIA 15-10-aia The present application, filed on or after March 16, 2013, is being examined under the first inventor to file provisions of the AIA. Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102 07-06 AIA 15-10-15 In the event the determination of the status of the application as subject to AIA 35 U.S.C. 102 and 103 (or as subject to pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 102 and 103) is incorrect, any correction of the statutory basis (i.e., changing from AIA to pre-AIA) for the rejection will not be considered a new ground of rejection if the prior art relied upon, and the rationale supporting the rejection, would be the same under either status. 07-07-aia AIA 07-07 The following is a quotation of the appropriate paragraphs of 35 U.S.C. 102 that form the basis for the rejections under this section made in this Office action: A person shall be entitled to a patent unless – 07-08-aia AIA (a)(1) the claimed invention was patented, described in a printed publication, or in public use, on sale, or otherwise available to the public before the effective filing date of the claimed invention. 07-15-aia AIA Claim(s) 1, 7, and 8 is /are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a )(1) as being an ticipated by Sa ba et al. United States Patent No. 10,572,024 B1 hereinafter Saba . Co nsider Claim 1: Saba discloses a measurement system, comprising: ( Saba , See Abstract.) a first transmitter element to generate a first sound wave for transmission; a first receiver element to receive a second sound wave resulting from the first sound wave reflecting off an object; and ( Saba , Column 8, “(50) FIG. 3 is a perspective diagram of the HMD 130, according to one embodiment. The HMD 130 includes a body 310 coupled to a band 320. The ultrasound sensor 170, camera 145, and IMU 140 are coupled to the body 310. The ultrasound sensor 170 includes an ultrasound transmitter 330 and an ultrasound receiver 340. In the embodiment shown by FIG. 3, the ultrasound transmitter 330, ultrasound receiver 340, and camera 145 are each coupled toward the bottom edge of the front face of the body, though in other embodiments, these components may be coupled to any other face of the body (e.g., the top, bottom, left, or right face), and may not necessarily be coupled to the same face. Furthermore, the ultrasound transmitter 330, ultrasound receiver 340, and camera 145 may each be facing in the same direction. A user wearing the HMD 130 can use the band 320 to hold the HMD 130 in place on the head of the user.”) a signal processing unit to: cause the first transmitter element to transmit the first sound wave; and ( Saba , (65), Column 10, “FIG. 7 is a flowchart illustrating a process 700 of performing hand tracking using the HMD 130, according to one embodiment. In some embodiments, one or more of the steps of the process 700 are performed by the processor 190—e.g., components of the process 190 described with reference to FIG. 2—within the system shown in FIG. 1. The process 700 may include different or additional steps than those described in conjunction with FIG. 7 in some embodiments or perform steps in different orders than the order described in conjunction with FIG. 7.”) receive a first received signal corresponding to the second sound wave from the first receiver element, ( Saba , Column 1, “(4) Embodiments relate to a system for determining hand poses and gestures of a user wearing a head-mounted display (HMD). The HMD includes an ultrasound sensor that has at least one ultrasound transmitter configured to emit an ultrasound signal and at least one ultrasound receiver configured to detect a reflected ultrasound signal. For example, the emit ultrasound signal reflects off of a hand of the user and is detected by the ultrasound receiver.”) wherein among the second sound waves in which the amplitude of the first received signal exceeds the determination value, the signal processing unit is configured to calculate a distance to the object based on a reception time of sound wave received at a latest time from a time at which the first sound wave has been launched. ( Saba , (60), Column 9-10, “FIG. 6B is another diagram illustrating waveforms of an emitted and received ultrasound signal by the HMD 130, according to one embodiment. Graph 630 shows that an emitted ultrasound signal the same as illustrated in graph 600 of FIG. 6A is emitted at a time indicated by timestamp 610. The graph 635 (on the same time axis as graph 600 and 630) shows that an ultrasound signal is received by the ultrasound sensor 170 at a time indicated by timestamp 645. In contrast to FIG. 6A, the received ultrasound signal is the emitted ultrasound signal that has reflected off of an obstructed hand of a user in a “scissor” position instead of a “fist” position. Thus, the received ultrasound signal has different attributes than the received ultrasound signal in graph 605. In particular, the peak-to-peak amplitude 665 is less than the peak-to-peak amplitude 625 shown in graph 605, e.g., because ultrasound signals reflect differently off a user's hand depending on the position, orientation, and/or gesture of the hand. Furthermore, the received ultrasound signal in graph 635 undergoes a different signal transformation than the received ultrasound signal in graph 605. In particular, the received ultrasound signal in graph 605 has a “shape” with a gradually decreasing amplitude. In comparison, the received ultrasound signal in graph 635 has a different “shape” with two peaks in signal amplitude (e.g., the first and third pulses are greater in amplitude than the second and fourth pulses). The signal transformation or “shape” of the received ultrasound signal relative to the emitted ultrasound signal may vary based on the pose or gesture of the user's hands, for example, because parts of the hand (e.g., fingers or palm) reflect ultrasound signals differently. Thus, the received signal, which includes the summation of pulses that reflect off one or more hands and back to the ultrasound sensor 170, will vary. The time of flight 650 is also greater than the time of flight 620 shown in graph 605, e.g., because the hand in the “scissor” position is further away from the ultrasound sensor 170 than the hand in the “fist” position in FIG. 6A.”) Consider Claim 7: Saba discloses a head-mounted display comprising the measurement system according to claim 1. ( Saba , See Claim 1 above and Abstract.) Consider Claim 8: Saba discloses the measurement system according to claim 1, wherein the signal processing unit has a maximum ranging time determined in advance from a maximum distance to the object, the signal processing unit is configured to calculate the distance to the object based on the latest time at which the amplitude of the first received signal exceeds the determination value within the maximum ranging time from the time at which the first sound wave has been launched. ( Saba , (60), Column 9-10, “FIG. 6B is another diagram illustrating waveforms of an emitted and received ultrasound signal by the HMD 130, according to one embodiment. Graph 630 shows that an emitted ultrasound signal the same as illustrated in graph 600 of FIG. 6A is emitted at a time indicated by timestamp 610. The graph 635 (on the same time axis as graph 600 and 630) shows that an ultrasound signal is received by the ultrasound sensor 170 at a time indicated by timestamp 645. In contrast to FIG. 6A, the received ultrasound signal is the emitted ultrasound signal that has reflected off of an obstructed hand of a user in a “scissor” position instead of a “fist” position. Thus, the received ultrasound signal has different attributes than the received ultrasound signal in graph 605. In particular, the peak-to-peak amplitude 665 is less than the peak-to-peak amplitude 625 shown in graph 605, e.g., because ultrasound signals reflect differently off a user's hand depending on the position, orientation, and/or gesture of the hand. Furthermore, the received ultrasound signal in graph 635 undergoes a different signal transformation than the received ultrasound signal in graph 605. In particular, the received ultrasound signal in graph 605 has a “shape” with a gradually decreasing amplitude. In comparison, the received ultrasound signal in graph 635 has a different “shape” with two peaks in signal amplitude (e.g., the first and third pulses are greater in amplitude than the second and fourth pulses). The signal transformation or “shape” of the received ultrasound signal relative to the emitted ultrasound signal may vary based on the pose or gesture of the user's hands, for example, because parts of the hand (e.g., fingers or palm) reflect ultrasound signals differently. Thus, the received signal, which includes the summation of pulses that reflect off one or more hands and back to the ultrasound sensor 170, will vary. The time of flight 650 is also greater than the time of flight 620 shown in graph 605, e.g., because the hand in the “scissor” position is further away from the ultrasound sensor 170 than the hand in the “fist” position in FIG. 6A.”) Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103 07-06 AIA 15-10-15 In the event the determination of the status of the application as subject to AIA 35 U.S.C. 102 and 103 (or as subject to pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 102 and 103) is incorrect, any correction of the statutory basis (i.e., changing from AIA to pre-AIA) for the rejection will not be considered a new ground of rejection if the prior art relied upon, and the rationale supporting the rejection, would be the same under either status. 07-20-aia AIA The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 103 which forms the basis for all obviousness rejections set forth in this Office action: A patent for a claimed invention may not be obtained, notwithstanding that the claimed invention is not identically disclosed as set forth in section 102, if the differences between the claimed invention and the prior art are such that the claimed invention as a whole would have been obvious before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to a person having ordinary skill in the art to which the claimed invention pertains. Patentability shall not be negated by the manner in which the invention was made. 07-103 AIA The text of those sections of Title 35, U.S. Code not included in this action can be found in a prior Office action. 07-23-aia AIA The factual inquiries for establishing a background for determining obviousness under 35 U.S.C. 103 are summarized as follows: 1. Determining the scope and contents of the prior art. 2. Ascertaining the differences between the prior art and the claims at issue. 3. Resolving the level of ordinary skill in the pertinent art. 4. Considering objective evidence present in the application indicating obviousness or nonobviousness. 07-22-aia AIA Claim (s) 2-3 and 5-6 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Saba et al. United States Patent No. 10,572,024 B1 as applied to claim 1 above, and further in view of Baheti et al. U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2020/0026360 A1 hereinafter Baheti . Consider Claim 2: Saba discloses the measurement system according to claim 1, however does not specify further comprising a second receiver element to receive the second sound wave, the second receiver element being disposed at a position different from the first receiver element, wherein the signal processing unit is configured to receive a second received signal corresponding to the second sound wave from the second receiver element and detect a position of the object based on the first received signal and the second received signal. Baheti however teaches that it was a known technique to those having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to provide multiple sound transmitting and receiving elements and therefore teaches a gesture detection system comprising a second receiver element to receive the second sound wave, the second receiver element being disposed at a position different from the first receiver element, wherein the signal processing unit is configured to receive a second received signal corresponding to the second sound wave from the second receiver element and detect a position of the object based on the first received signal and the second received signal. ( Baheti , [0043], [0071], [0080-0094], [0008], “In accordance with an embodiment, a device includes: a screen; a plurality of millimeter-wave radars mounted on the device; and a controller. The controller is configured to: at a first time, detect a first presence of an object in a field of view of a first millimeter-wave radar; at a second time, detect a second presence of the object in a field of view of a second millimeter-wave radar; determine a gesture signature based on detecting the first presence of the object in the field of view of the first millimeter-wave radar at the first time and detecting the second presence of the object in the field of view of the second millimeter-wave radars at the second time; and execute a command based on the determined gesture signature.”) It therefore would have been obvious to those having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to provide a device having multiple sound transmitting and receiving elements for detecting a hand gesture as this was a known technique in view of Baheti and would have been utilized for the art recognized purpose of operating each group of sensor radars independently, it is possible to allow simultaneous multi-finger or multi-hand control. ( Baheti , [0125]) Consider Claim 3: Saba in view of Baheti disclose the measurement system according to claim 2, further comprising: a second transmitter element to generate a third sound wave for transmission, the second transmitter element being disposed at a position different from the first transmitter element; a third receiver element to receive a fourth sound wave resulting from the third sound wave reflecting off the object, the third receiver element being disposed at a position different from the first receiver element and the second receiver element; a fourth receiver element to receive the third sound wave, the fourth receiver element being disposed at a position different from the first receiver element, the second receiver element, and the third receiver element, wherein the signal processing unit is configured to cause the second transmitter element to transmit the third sound wave; receive a third received signal corresponding to the fourth sound wave from the third receiver element; and receive a fourth received signal corresponding to the fourth sound wave from the fourth receiver element, and the signal processing unit is configured to detect the position of the object, based on the first received signal, the second received signal, the third received signal, and the fourth received signal. ( Baheti , [0119-0129], [0143-0144], [0126], “Simultaneous object detection may also be used to detect complex gestures. For example, as shown by FIG. 16, by simultaneously performing gestures 1602 and 1604, with, for example, two fingers of the same hand, it is possible to cause the rotation of a map displayed by a map app in touchscreen 108. Other complex gestures may be detected and associated with respective gesture signatures that are associated with respective commands. Functions such as front camera focusing and ranging, three-dimensional object tracking, application switching, scrolling up, down, left-to-right, right-to-left, diagonally, gaming control, user authentication by gesture patterns, tracking motion on top of touchscreen 108 using triangulation, volume dial control, app initiation and termination, switching between apps, as well as customizing each (e.g., monostatic) millimeter-wave radar 102 for different application are also possible.”) Consider Claim 5: Saba in view of Baheti disclose the measurement system according to claim 3, wherein a time of transmission of the first sound wave and a time of transmission of the third sound wave are different. ( Baheti , [0073], “During normal operation, each millimeter-wave radar 102 monitors and detects objects in the respective field of view 114. When an object, such as a human finger, is swiped, for example, at a height h.sub.1 (or range zone.sub.1), in a two-dimensional motion that crosses from first fields of view 114.sub.1 to second field of view 114.sub.2, the finger is detected at different times by each millimeter-wave radar 102.”) Consider Claim 6: Saba in view of Baheti disclose the measurement system according to claim 4, wherein the first transmitter element, the first receiver element, and the second receiver element constitute a first position sensing unit, the second transmitter element, the third receiver element, and the fourth receiver element constitute a second position sensing unit, the object includes a first hand and a second hand of both hands, and the signal processing unit is configured to recognize a position of the first hand sensed by the first position sensing unit as a position of a pointer, and recognize a position of the second hand sensed by the second position sensing unit, as a position indicating an action. ( Baheti , [0125], “By operating each group of millimeter-wave radars independently, it is possible to allow simultaneous multi-finger or multi-hand control. For example, a game may be controlled by a human user by simultaneously using a left hand to perform gestures in front of group 1504 and using a right hand to perform gestures in front of group 1502. Other groupings are also possible. In other embodiments, gestures signatures detected by each set trigger independent commands irrespective of whether the detected gesture signatures occurred simultaneously or not. In an embodiment, a single gesture is used to trigger a plurality of actions, where each triggered action associated to one of the sets of millimeter-wave radars. In other words, a same gesture is detected by a plurality (e.g., all) of the sets of millimeter-wave radars, each set giving rise to a command being executed via detection of this gesture.”) Allowable Subject Matter Claim 4 is objected to as being dependent upon a rejected base claim, but would be allowable if rewritten in independent form including all of the limitations of the base claim and any intervening claims. (The Office notes that although the combination of claim 3 and 7 were previously indicated in the interview as potentially being allowable, after further review of the Baheti reference, claim 3 appears sufficiently broad enough that the prior art teaches the claim as noted above.) Conclusion Prior art made of record and not relied upon which is still considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure is cited in a current or previous PTO-892. The prior art cited in a current or previous PTO-892 reads upon the applicants claims in part, in whole and/or gives a general reference to the knowledge and skill of persons having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention. Applicant, when responding to this Office action, should consider not only the cited references applied in the rejection but also any additional references made of record. In the response to this office action, the Examiner respectfully requests support be shown for any new or amended claims. More precisely, indicate support for any newly added language or amendments by specifying page, line numbers, and/or figure(s). This will assist The Office in compact prosecution of this application. The Office has cited particular columns, paragraphs, and/or line numbers in the applied rejection of the claims above for the convenience of the applicant. Citations are representative of the teachings in the art and are applied to the specific limitations within each claim, however other passages and figures may apply. Applicant, in preparing a response, should fully consider the cited reference(s) in its entirety and not only the cited portions as other sections of the reference may expand on the teachings of the cited portion(s). Applicant Representatives are reminded of CFR 1.4(d)(2)(ii) which states “ A patent practitioner (§ 1.32(a)(1) ), signing pursuant to §§ 1.33(b)(1) or 1.33(b)(2), must supply his/her registration number either as part of the S-signature , or immediately below or adjacent to the S-signature . The number (#) character may be used only as part of the S-signature when appearing before a practitioner’s registration number; otherwise the number character may not be used in an S-signature. ” When an unsigned or improperly signed amendment is received the amendment will be listed in the contents of the application file, but not entered . The examiner will notify applicant of the status of the application, advising him or her to furnish a duplicate amendment properly signed or to ratify the amendment already filed. In an application not under final rejection, applicant should be given a two month time period in which to ratify the previously filed amendment (37 CFR 1.135(c) ). Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to MICHAEL J JANSEN II whose telephone number is (571)272-5604. The examiner can normally be reached Normally Available Monday-Friday 9am-4pm EST. 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If you would like assistance from a USPTO Customer Service Representative, call 800-786-9199 (IN USA OR CANADA) or 571-272-1000. /Michael J Jansen II/ Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2626 Application/Control Number: 19/159,347 Page 2 Art Unit: 2626 Application/Control Number: 19/159,347 Page 3 Art Unit: 2626 Application/Control Number: 19/159,347 Page 4 Art Unit: 2626 Application/Control Number: 19/159,347 Page 5 Art Unit: 2626 Application/Control Number: 19/159,347 Page 6 Art Unit: 2626 Application/Control Number: 19/159,347 Page 7 Art Unit: 2626 Application/Control Number: 19/159,347 Page 8 Art Unit: 2626 Application/Control Number: 19/159,347 Page 9 Art Unit: 2626 Application/Control Number: 19/159,347 Page 10 Art Unit: 2626 Application/Control Number: 19/159,347 Page 11 Art Unit: 2626 Application/Control Number: 19/159,347 Page 12 Art Unit: 2626 Application/Control Number: 19/159,347 Page 13 Art Unit: 2626
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